Device for use in hair waving and curling



y 930.- A. CRAIG 1,759,097

DEVICE FOR USE IN HAIR WAVING AND CURLING Filed Ot. 20, 1928 'ITIIn 3:011,

' [In/912K015 Patented May 20, 1930 ALEXANDER CRAIG, OF LONDON, ENGLAND DEVICE FOR USE IN HAIR WAVTNG AND CURLING Application filed October 20, 1928, Serial No.

This invention relates to devices for use in hair wavlng and curling and has a speclal although not exclusive reference to means for 7 setting or consolidating the waves or curls formed in so-called permanent waving and similar processes.

It is usual when hair is being permanently waved, after the curls or waves have been formed on the rod or the like and when these rods or the like are removed, for whatmay be termed the crests of the waves to be elevated by a comb and pressed between the fingers of the operator in an endeavour to consolidate the wave. This is a tedious process requiring great skill, which moreover gives very inefficient results. In other hair waving operations, for example in re-setting the Wave, similar operations also take place.

According to the present invention, a clip or clamp device is provided comprising two combs or the like, the ends of the teeth of which are adapted to be brought together along the lengths of the combs so that when the said ends meet they include an angle substantially less than two right angles between them, and beyond this position the teeth of which combs are adapted to intermesh. The two combs are connected together in any suitable manner, so that in the open position their teeth come apart and in the closed position their teeth intermesh to a maximum desired extent.

Guard means may be provided in connec tion with the combs, such guard means being so disposed and arranged that they rest upon the hair to hold the ends of the teeth of the combs, when the said teeth are crossed and in engagement with the crest of a wave, out of contact with the scalp; such guard means are preferably such that they act as means for insulating the head or scalp from the heat, 7

For example they may be cooled and/or may be of heat insulting material or materials.

Any suitable heating means may be used in association with they clip or clamp, the heating being accomplished by hot air, steam, chemical means, electrical means, or otherwise, or by any combination thereof. In addition, means for treating the hair with any suitable liquid, material, compound, oil or 313,895, and in Great Britain J'une 8, 1928.

the like may be associated with theclip or clamp.

When the clip is in the open position it can be engaged with the hair for instance it can be placed over the crest of a wave so that the combs are parallel withthe line of the crest with one comb coming on one side of the line and the other comb'on the other side. The teeth of the combs are now passed down through the hair on to, or close to, the scalp and in this position are brought together. The whole of the hair between the mutually inclined combs is thus held between the combs, and the line of intersection between the combs, owing to the intermeshing teeth as the clip is closed, rises from the scalp upwards. The whole of the hair held between the combs is thus automatically raised up. This hair, however, is the crest of a wave and thus the crest is held consolidated over its full depth whilst the wave is being formed or setting and whilst it is being subjected to heat. 7 Similar'clips are placed at each crest to a required number.

When the clips are in engagement with the crests of the waves the guard means are so constructed and positioned that they rest on the hair adjacent the sides of the crest and hold theextremities of the teeth of the comb awayfrom the scalp, and also provide a heat insulating means between the clip and the head. v V

In order that the invention may be better understood, it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shews a side elevation of one preferred form of carrying the invention into effect.

Fig. 2 shews an end view of Fig. 1 with f parts removed. 99

Figs. 3 and 4 shew diagrammatic end elevations to a larger scale of a portion of Fig. 1 in two different positions to illustrate the action. i

Fig. 5 is an under plan of a portion of Fig- 3, and Fig. 6 is an under plan of Fig. 4.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 shew to an enlarged scale, a fragmentary diagrammatic front elevation, plan and elevation respectively illustrating the action of the device.

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The particular constructional form of device shewn in the drawings is formed from two bent portions 10 of sheet metal or other suitable material. These portions 10 are rectangular in the blank and are bent as shewn in the drawings so that one of the longitudinal edges of each portion is hinged at 11 to the corresponding edge of the other portion. Towards the other longitudinal edges the portions 10 are formed with bends 12 as shewn, and these bends may constitute guards as hereafter explained. A number of teeth 13 are struck up from these bent portions and these teeth are bent inwards and give'any desired curve.

I 14; is a flat strip spring, Fig. 2, for keeping the halves 10 normally apart.

The teeth 13 constitute the teeth of combs and as will be seen from Figs. 5 and 6, when the parts are' brought together the teeth of one comb pass between the teeth of the other comb.

Such a device may have associated therewith any suitable heating means, for example it may have on the exterior thereof an electrical heating means, or the outsides of the guard portions may each carry electrical heating means. Similarly, chemical heating means may be associated with the device.

In preferred cases, however, and as shewn on the drawings, itis preferred to mount the device at the end of a conduit or pipe 16 for hot air. Only a portion of this conduit is shewn and it will be realized that the re- 'maining part of the conduit can be in any suitable form. The air, which is heated by any suitable means and caused to pass along the conduit, passes into the device and comes 'intoc'ontact with the hair being treated. It has the'efi'ect of drying the hairand forming the wave, or setting or consolidating the wave. Outlets for the air are constituted by the slots leftwhen the teeth 13 are closed together and in addition a main outlet-is provied at the end 17 of the device. This outlet, however, may be partially baffled by a strip 18 carried byan arm 19 attached at one end to the conduit 16 and extending through the members 10. The portion which extends through the members 10 may also be associated with the hinge 11 to form the means for lifoldingthe halves 10 in position.

I'n some eases valve means maybe provided for controlling the passage of the hot air to and from the device. I

In a preferred form a combined device is provided which heats air electrically, drawn in byia' fan and passes it through the conduit to theliair being treated. This heating device may draw in its air in any suitable manner, or in preferred cases a second conduit may extend to th'e outlet from the first conduit or a position adjacent the said outlet, so that the heated air escaping from the conduit after having been employed in treating the hair, is drawn back to the heater and again passed to the clip or setting device.

Any suitable means may be provided for blowing or drawing hot air to the clip device and the invention is not limited to the particular form described.

The slots or gaps in the guards caused by the teeth being struck therefrom, may be utilized if desired to allow the hair under treatment to be treated with any desired liquid or other material, compound, oil or the like by passing the said material through the slots.

The whole device may be furnished with a suitable handle which may be of heat insulating material, enabling the clip to be engaged with the hair where desired, to be held in position as long as desired, and then to be freed and re-engaged with any portion of the hair it is desired to treat.

In the form shewn in the drawings, the portion 16 of the conduit is utilized as a handle and may be of heat insulating material or in some forms may be covered with any heat insulating material.

Any suitable portion of the apparatus can be formed from heat insulating material or can have heat insulating material associated therewith. In some cases also the line or contour of the ends of the teeth of the comb may be curved to enable them to take the shape of a wave, and in addition in place of being curved in one direction, the comb itself may be curved in a longitudinal direction to enable a curved wave to be consolidated.

The lower portion of the conduit 16 to wards one end has pivoted thereto at 20 a lever 21, one end of which 22 is curved round to form a stop for the end finger of the hand holding the device, whilst the other end takes above jointed wires or the like 23, the ends of which are attached to the portions 10 of the device. By this means when the lever is forced by the hand gripping the device towards the conduit 16, the other end pulls down the wires 23 and causes the two halves 10 to be brought together from the position shewn in Fig. 3 to the position shewn in Fig. 4. 24 is another lever one end of which is pivoted to the under side of the conduit 16. This lever extends into a tongue member 25 which has transverse corrugations 26 thereon, the corrugations 26 preferably being spaced with the same spacing as the teeth of the combs. 27 is a lever pivoted to the lever 21 and adapted to take beneath the lever 24;. The position of this lever is such that when the whole device is grasped by the hands, first of all the index finger raises the lever 27 which lifts the tongue 25 and then upon tightening the grip, the lever 21 is raised which brings the portions 10 of the device together. The tongue member 25 is providedto assist the'action of the device and this member may be ary conduit to open in a position near the fan supplying the air to be heated, which ultimately has to be passed along the conduit 16. In this way the tongue may be cooled. As will be seen from Fig. 2 the free end of the tongue is tapered to allow the end readily to be inserted beneath the hair, and in operation, before engaging the device with the hair, this free end is passed beneath the hair and then the device pressed down so that the teeth 13 engage with the hair, as previously described, after which the device is closed. By the provision of the tongue a definite layer of hair is divided off for engagement by the teeth, and in addition the tongue prevents the teeth from coming into contact with, or too near to, the scalp. To assist the action, the tongue is corrugated in a direction at right angles, or substantially at right angles, to its length, so that the hair lies on the crests of the corrugations, and further so that the teeth of the combs enter the grooves of these corrugations before being moved to come together and beneath the hair, to engage and raise the hair as hereinbefore described.

In utilizing the device, it will be realized that hot air is being supplied along the conduit 16 and entering between the members 10. The device can be used for forming waves or for consolidating waves or otherwise, and in reference to the diagram shewn in Fig. 3, the tongue 25 has been passed beneath a strand 28 of hair it is desired to treat, and the teeth 13 are just about toengage therewith. By the combined action of the teeth and the raising of the tongue 25, the hair is brought to the position shewn in Fig. 4, where it is held between the portions 29 and the members 10, and is simultaneously subjected to the heat treatment by the hot air. 7

Referring to the diagrams, Figs. 7, 8 and 9, it should be noted that to obtain the best results, the hair, by means of an ordinary comb, may be given the usual 8 formation as seen in plan. The teeth 13 of the combs are engaged with the hair at the centre of the S and come beneath the hair and raise it up.

When the teeth come together the parts come in the position shewn in the diagrammatic views, and from these it will be seen that a curved wave is formed in the hair which is gripped and pressed into shape between the portions 29 of the members 10 after being brought into position by the teeth-13. For the sake of clearness in Figs. 7 and 8 only the portion of the strand of hair coming be tween two adjacent teeth is shewn.

The curvature of theportions 12 as will be I realized, to a certain extent controls the curvature of the wave and consequently if desired the portions 12 together with the teeth 13 may be made detachable from the bodies of the portions 10 and interchangeable curved portions 12 maybe employed to give waves of varying curvatures.

A wave may be rendered permanent by treatment withthe usual and suitable compounds, chemicals or thelike, whilst held "g by. the parts 29 andsubject to heat.

The action of the combs will be readily understood. The teeth 13 pass down through the hair on to or close to the scalp and in this position are brought together. The whole of the hair between the mutually inclined combs is thus held between the combs, and the line of intersection between the combs (owing to the intermeshing teeth as the clip is closed) rises from the scalp upwards; the whole of the hair between the combs is thus automatically raised up and is ready to be clamped. The combs act as gatherers for the hair to bring it into position for clamping.

As a modification of the invention, in some cases the comb devices-as a pair or clip may be made detachable from the device, so that the comb devices may be usedby themselves as clips forengaging the hair for setting or other purposes.

The invention is not limited to the precise forms or details of construction described as these may be varied to suit particular cases.

WVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America is 2- 1. Devices for use in hair waving, curling and the like comprising a two-part clamp, each part provided adjacent the opening portion of the clamp with a: comb, the ends of the teeth of which combs are adapted to be brought together along the lengths of the combs so that when the said ends meet they include a desired angle between them, and beyond which position the teeth of which combs are adapted to intermesh, the two parts of the clamp being so shaped that in the closed position they are adapted to clamp the portion of the hair under treatment between them, and heating means for applying heat to the hair under treatment, all for the purposes set forth.

2. Devices for use in hair waving, curling and the like, as claimed in claim 1, in which guard means are provided for insulating the device from the head or scalp, said guard means being so disposed and arranged as to rest upon the hair to hold the ends of the teeth of the comb, when the said teeth are crossed and in engagement with the crest of a Wave,'out of contact with the head or scalp.

3. Devices for use in hair waving, curling and the like as claimed in claim 1 in which the clamp device has associated therewith a conduit for hot air, adapted to be connected to a source of heated air, the conduit being so disposed that it directs the heated air on to the hair under treatment.

4. Devices for use in hair waving, curling and the like as claimed in claim 1 in which guard means are provided for insulating the device from the head or scalp, the said guard means comprising a tongue carried by the clamp and adapted to be passed beneath the portion of the hair to be treated, to separate this portion from the remainder of the hair, the said tongue in the operative position being adapted to be brought beneath the teeth of the combs, for the purposes set forth.

5. Devices for use in hair waving, curling and the like as claimed in claim 1 in which guard means are provided for insulating the device from the head or scalp, the said guard means comprising a corrugated tongue carried by the clamp and adapted to be passed beneath the portion of the hair to be treated, to separate this portion from the remainder of the hair, the said tongue being pivotally attached-in position and provided with means by which it is adapted to be raised just prior tothe closing of the clamp, for the purposes set forth.

6. Devices for use in hair Waving, curling and the like as claimed in claim 1 in which each portion of the clamp device is formed with a curved or bent surface adjacent the clamp portion to impart a desired curve to the hair being treated.

7. Devices for use in hair waving, curling and the like as claimed in claim 1 in which each portion of the clamp device is provided with detachable and interchangeable curved portions, for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I afiix my-signature.

ALEXANDER CRAIG. 

